Hand-Raising Awesome Chicks
July 7, 2015Passing along my brooder to another chicken-keeping friend has me feeling a little sentimental.
Why I’m Totally Into Chicks
February 6, 2015The hens in our charter flock turned me from chicken agnostic to borderline obsessed. The Girls, as we call them, have officially achieved family status.
When Pecking Orders Collide
September 12, 2014The chicks are almost 6 weeks old. They don’t know much more than how to eat, drink, forage and fly, and they approach mere acquaintances with too much familiarity. They lack social graces and respect for their elders, which the older hens won’t hesitate to teach. The chicks are still not allowed to free-range like […]
3 Hang-Ups in Moving Chicks Outside
September 5, 2014I’m a person who likes to prepare. Research, studying, and compiling information is a joy, and when I took up raising chickens, it was the preparation that convinced me I was ready for the hobby. But no matter how much I prepare, there’s always something I don’t know until I jump in. Usually, it’s something […]
How to Let Your Backyard Chickens Forage
August 22, 2014Last week, when I’d take the chicks outside to their makeshift playpen—a 4-by-8-foot rabbit guard fence we built to keep the hens out of a raised garden bed—the chicks were afraid of the big world, snuggling up together in a corner or trying to escape. Yesterday, though, I saw a sudden change in their behavior. […]
Chick in Distress
August 8, 2014Courtesy Rachel Hurd Anger One of the two Buff Orpingtons I’m raising to pullets for a friend is the runt of the flock. Upon opening the shipping box, the day-old chick was visibly in distress. As the others moved freely and excitedly, this Buff sort of leaned against the wall of the box. My kids […]
Chicks Week 1: Feeding and Heating Urgencies
August 1, 2014Courtesy Rachel Hurd Anger Five future egg layers arrived safely to the post office this week. Two different postal employees called within minutes of each other to announce the chicks’ arrival, which says something about the infectious joy these little peeps can spread. With caution, I asked the first employee who called, “Are they chirping? […]
Circle of Life: It’s Smaller with an Urban Flock
July 25, 2014Photo by Rachel Hurd Anger A chicken’s journey around the circle of life can be a short one on any farm, whether rural or urban. Flock members can fall victim to acute illness, unexplained sudden death, human negligence and predators. These devastations can happen before a chicken reaches a ripe old age, despite the fact […]
Hold the Meds! Feed Wild Spring Greens to Keep Livestock Healthy
May 7, 2014Spring means lots of baby animals. It’s a perfect time for grazers to have their babies because the grass is lush and growing thick, meaning food is abundant and easy to find.
